Known for decades by Greenville residents as the Donaldson Center, the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center has in recent years become a hub for aerospace, automotive and advanced manufacturing companies that produce an average of about $500 million in economic activity each year.
The impact of SCTAC was the topic of discussion at the first in-person “Coffee and Conversations” meeting on June 16 sponsored by the Upstate SC Alliance in more than a year.
SCTAC President and CEO Jody Bryson highlighted some of the organization’s achievements during the program and pointed out that the 2,600-acre industrial site previously known for air shows and Freedom Weekend Aloft has become a manufacturing powerhouse and a home for major global companies.
“Automotive and aerospace are two of the most important industries in South Carolina,” said Upstate SC Alliance President John Lummus in introducing Bryson at the meeting.
With 118 companies representing a range of industries, SCTAC has become a major economic engine in the state since the site was rebranded in 2008, Bryson said.
One of the most high-profile and long-standing tenants at the site is Lockheed-Martin, whose F-16 Global Center for Excellence is the first industry depot that supports sustainment and production of advanced F-16 fighter aircraft at the same location.
Bryson said the Block 70 F-16s in production at the site will be the most advanced F-16s ever produced with delivery of the first new fighters in 2021 to Bahrain as part of a $1.1 billion contract.
“I think it’s a really big deal,” said South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt in a video presentation about the project. “I was there for the first cars. I was there for the first commercial airliners. You can bet I’ll be there for the first F-16s.”
Bryson also discussed developments at SCTAC that are helping to drive innovation in the automotive sector through the International Transportation Innovation Center (ITIC) and the conversion of an unused second runway into a mile-long, 300-foot-wide automotive test track. ITIC has also gained a new capability with the recent completion of a durability track adjacent to the test track.
“We offer a variety of unique features,” Bryson said. “We can have multiple companies testing at the same time.”
Bryson told the Journal that when he came to SCTAC 14 years ago, one of his top priorities was collaborating with the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). Discussions with that institution led to developing the automotive test track.
Since then, the track has been used by not only CU-ICAR but commercial vehicle manufacturers like Proterra, whose Greenville-based bus manufacturing plant regularly tests vehicles at the track.
“What I’m hearing from our industry partners is we’re saving them man-hours and travel time, which makes them more efficient,” Bryson said.
SCTAC is also home to numerous other industrial behemoths including Michelin, 3M, ETHOX Chemical, Solvay and Thermo-Fisher Scientific.
“We support the companies who provide jobs for our citizens,” Bryson said. “It’s such a cool story and I’m honored to be part of it.”
- SCTAC is home to 118 diverse companies generating an average of about $500 million in economic activity annually
- Started in 1942 as Greenville Army Air Base and was rebranded to SCTAC in 2008
- Is home to Lockheed-Martin’s F-16 Global Center of Excellence
- It includes SC’s largest public general aviation airport, Donaldson Field
- Is home to the SC Army National Guard Aviation Center of Excellence
